Seeds of the Word - Like father, like son

We celebrate Father’s Day in June in the United States and other countries. If you’re a dad, it is imperative to stop and reflect on the huge mission of fatherhood that God entrusted to you. You must realize that there is no bigger mission than being a father to your children; that no duty is more important than your duties toward your children; that no achievement is more transcendent than being the head of a stable family, where there is union among everyone and there is closeness to God. You may have an important title, receive the most prestigious awards, or build the most beautiful house. Yet I can guarantee that when your life comes to an end, only having grown a family in which everyone cares about each other will give you tranquility. Only having led a virtuous, decent, honest and loving family will allow you to rest in peace. Nothing else matters — neither success nor money nor awards have any value to the one who has a family in which there is no union, loyalty and stability. It’s a fact!

Therefore, it becomes very important to remind yourself on Father’s Day about the huge mission God entrusted to you: to form a family where God always dwells.

Your children’s human formation relies on you. Because they admire you, they tend to imitate you. Do you want your kids to be respectful? Set an example and be respectful yourself. Do you want them to be good students? Be yourself a hard worker — but always having enough time for your family. Do you want your sons to be good husbands to their wives? Be yourself the best husband.

Don’t be like those who spend their whole lives solving business problems at work, yet are unaware of the problems that afflict their own children. Don’t be like those who allow their friends to come home cursing and swearing before their wives and children. Don’t be like those who never say grace before sharing a meal with their family. Don’t be like those who give their children everything they ask for, or they will grow up believing the whole world is at their service only. Don’t be like those who seem to be afraid of using the words “sin” or “evil” when something offends the Lord — a spade should always be called a spade, and your kids ought to learn it from you. Don’t be like those who get upset with teachers who correct their children, with neighbors who complain when kids damage their property, with uncles and aunts who correct them, accusing everyone else of being against the kids.

Be instead like those fathers who model with their own hands good people. Be like those who form, through their own prayer, spiritual men and women. Be like those who instill in their sons the highest codes of chivalry that make them capable of pursuing the most noble ideals and of defending the purest love. Be like those who firmly sharpen sons who are courageous, punctual, respectful, virile and true gentlemen. Be like those who tenderly model daughters who are noble, kind, polite and true ladies. In other words, be like those fathers who make of their children good Christians and virtuous citizens — true men and women of God.

To do so, love is the most important teaching your children must learn from you. Our society today seems to mock those who don’t shy from showing their affection and care to others, who are not afraid of saying “I love you” to their relatives and friends. Do you want your children to have a stable and lasting family? Teach them how important it is to love — for it takes a true man and a true Christian to love and to say “I love you.”